Processing question...

[CuseHunter]

I cut up my own deer that I harvest, and am getting pretty efficient especially after shadowing a butcher for a week. I find that I trim my steaks more than probably 99% of other people. I just like to have no silver skin or fat on my meat.

With that said, on the hind legs, I forget the cut name, it's either the bottom or top steak. It's a flat steak cut, roughly 2.5" thick, 5" wide, 10" long. There is 2 tube-like structures that run through the cut. I would guess it's the femoral artery and vein. Do you leave it in the cut or trim it out? It just seems like it would be all grizzly after being cooked.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I cut them out.

[genesee_mohican]

I process all the deer I take and know exactly what your talking about on that cut. I try to slice that artery out. I'm sure it would go unnoticed when eating it, but I cut it out.

[CuseHunter]

Thanks for the input. I decided on cutting it out too. It looks weird with a dime size hole in the slab. Still will eat real good!

[CuseHunter]

Another question for you guys. I normally make jerky out of grinds but want to try and marinade some whole meat and slice it then make jerky this year that way. What cuts/part of the deer would you recommend to use. I would hate to waste prime steak (backstraps) for jerky. I saved lots of the hind steaks whole so I can decide later how to eat them. Any of you use the "football" for jerky? Seems like nasty meat with all the silver skin running between each layer but might be fine to use as jerky

[waterweasle]

ive only ever made jerky from whole meat, not ground, and I've used any cut that would allow me to get pieces that I could cut into strips

[ncountry]

Not sure about jerky, I ussualy use ground meat. The " football" makes a great roast and surprisingly good steaks.

[CuseHunter]

ive only ever made jerky from whole meat, not ground, and I've used any cut that would allow me to get pieces that I could cut into strips

appreciate it, I figured either bottom or top steaks from the hind 1/4 would work great as they are already perfectly shaped/thickness. Just really don't know if making jerky from it would be utilizing "too good of meat" as they are awesome cuts to cook in a pan. Cutting the football into strips to dehydrate evenly would definitely be hard to do I'd think.

[CuseHunter]

The guys I hunt with used to keep the backstraps and loin as steaks and everything else was grinds. I am now learning how much more good steak meat is on the deer as I butcher myself.

I looked up a recipe for a garlic roast venison, sounded great using the football. Definitely on my "to-cook" list.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Cusehunter

[bluecoupe]

I believe the op is asking about the tendons and yes, I take them out. I'm probably one of the 1% you speak of. When I'm done with a deer the only thing I have is meat. All of the bone, silverskin, tendons, fat, etc is gone. Yes it takes me a while but such is life.

 

For the jerky question, I've posted my recipe here a couple of times and I've only ever made it with strips. Keep in mind that they don't have to be uniform in shape, only in thickness so that they will dry at the same rate.  And I can't stress enough that you're not trying to cook the meat when making jerky, simply drying it.   I've never made any from ground and don't think I've even ever had any to try so I can't speak for that.

[Hock3y24]

Sometimes I leave it, this year I got 2 does and I left a lot of roasts whole in order to conserve time. With 2 does I had 12 roasts, tenderloin is cut into steaks, back straps are gone as soon as I get home, neck meat is speidies, then all my scrap/grind meat was Made into hot mild and mild with cheese sausage in casings. Also made snack sticks. Jerky meat will be roast cut up since it's easy to slice

[ncountry]

The guys I hunt with used to keep the backstraps and loin as steaks and everything else was grinds. I am now learning how much more good steak meat is on the deer as I butcher myself. I looked up a recipe for a garlic roast venison, sounded great using the football. Definitely on my "to-cook" list.

It is surprising the # of good cuts that come from a deer including the 2 on each shoulder either side of that ridge on the shoulder blade. Funny ,I was just watching a news program and this chef was getting all this credit for discovering a new cut of meat on a beaf... It was just that, the 2 steaks on the shoulder blade...We hunters have known of these for years..lol

[Jennifer]

Yep-- like the others here said, I try to trim it all too. It does take a lot longer but the end result is worth it to us. It may not be, to everyone. I know my uncle grinds everything except the backstraps, so it's not worth it to him (even if it would make his ground taste just that much better).

All of the trimmings not fit for ground meat get given to dogs/cat/chickens. They appreciate it quite a lot.

 

I'm always careful to trim away the sciatic nerve too, I couldn't find a photo but this video shows it:

I am probably being cautious for no reason but I don't like to leave any nervous tissue in any red meat I eat.

 

When making jerky, we take the steaks that my family likes least, and partially defrost them. Just enough that they aren't rock solid frozen. It's much easier to slice the steaks uniformly for jerky if they are still firm but not solid. Like mentioned before, the shape of the cut doesn't matter, just the thickness. You want them to be uniform in thickness so that they dehydrate uniformly. Marinade them they way you want and pop 'em in the dehydrator.

 

Venison jerky is fantastic. Even my squeamish friends will eat it like candy if I'm not careful about rationing it!

[crappyice]

Great video Jennifer

[lauragutierrez]

I can't handle to much fat or gristle either in my meat. I try to trim as much of the fat off as possible. I am not a huge "steak" fan, even though I do understand that some steaks taste better because of the fat. I also cut that piece off on the hind legs. I don't know what it is called myself either, but regardless I get rid of it. I know many people who leave it and eat it without any complaints. Some people just throw it into the mix of meat that they send off to make burger out of. I agree with crappy, I enjoy the video Jennifer.